Tri-(cyanoethyl)-acetone



Patented Feb. 16, 1943 TRI- (CYANOETHYL) -ACETONE Herman A. Bruson, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to The Resinous Products & Chemical Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation 01 Delaware N Drawing. Application February 7, 1942, Serial No. 429,957

5 Claims.

This invention relates to tri-1,1,1-(B-cyanoethyl) -acetone, a new substance having the formula;

CHzCHzCN cm-co-c-omomor:

7 Serial No. 389,332, filed April 19, 1941, and Serial No. 415,405, filed October 17, 1941, the above compound is obtained by condensing acetone in the presence of an alkaline condensing agent with acrylonitrile.

CHzC HrCN CHa-CO-CHx-HiCHpCH-CN CHs-CO-C--CH:CH2CN CHrCHzCN Typical alkaline condensing agents which can be used include the oxides, hydroxides, amides, hydrides, alcoholates or phenolates of the alkali metals, the alkali metals themselves or strongly basic non-metallic hydroxides such as quaternary ammonium hydroxides. Of these agents, one of the most effective is the aqueous 40% solution 01 trimethyl benzyl ammonium hydroxide commercially available under the trade name "Triton B. The quantity of alkaline condensing agent used is small, amounts of the order of 0.5% to 5% on the combined weight of the reactants being suflicient to catalyze the reaction.

The condensation can be carried out in the nresence or absence of a solvent such as benzene, 'Jioxane, or tertiary butanol. It takes place at temperatures as low as 0 C. and is greatly accelerated at temperatures from 25 to 40 C. Since the reaction is strongly exothermal, it is advantageous to use an inert solvent and to regulate the vigor of the reaction by the rate of addition 01' the acrylonitrile or by suitable cooling.

The following examples illustrate this invention:

Example 1 To a mixture consisting of 38 grams of acetone and 100 grams of tertiary butanol cooled to 10 C. there is added 5 grams of aqueous 40% trimethyl benzyl ammonium hydroxide and, while the mixture is stirred, there is added dropwise thereto 53 grams of acrylonitrile during a period of a half hour while the reaction temperature is maintained between 10 and C. by cooling in an ice bath. After about one-fourth of the acrylonitrile has been added, the product begins to crystallize. Stirring is continued for two hours at 10-20 C. after all the acrylonitrile has been added, and then for three hours longer at room temperature. The reaction mixture is then made slightly acid to litmus by adding a 10% hydrochloric acid solution, whereupon the solution lightens in color. The crystals are filtered off by suction. The yield is 50.5 grams. Upon recrystallization from boiling water or from glycol monoethyl ether ("Cell0solve), the tri-1,l,1-(pcyanoethyl)-acetone forms colorless crystals melting at 154 C.

Example 2 To a solution consisting of 29 grams of acetone, 50 grams of tertiary butanol and 2.5 grams of alcoholic 30% potassium hydroxide solution, cooled to 0' C., there is added dropwise, with rapid stirring, a solution consisting of grams of acrylonitrile and 37 grams of tertiary butanol. during a period of 1 /2 hours while the reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature between 0 and 5 C. The mixture is stirred thereafter for two hours at 5 C. and the crystalline product is filtered oil". The yield is 84 grams of pale yellow crystals of crude tri-1,1,1-p-cyanoethyl) -acetone, which, after recrystallization from hot water,

melts at 154 C. 1

I claim:

1. As a new compound, tri-1,1,1-(p-cyanoethyl) -acetone CHICHaCN om-co-m-cmomcrr CHzCHaCN which, when'pure, consists of colorless crystals melting at 154 C.

2. A method for preparing tri-1,l,1-( 8-cyanoethyl) -acetone which comprises condensing acetone with acrylonitrile in the presence of an alkaline condensing agent.

3. A metho for preparing tri-LLI-(B-cyanoethyl-acetone which comprises condensing acetone with acrylonitrile in the presence of an alkaline condensing agent and a solvent.

4. A method for preparing tri-1,1,1-(p-cyanoethyl) acetone which comprises condensing acetone with acrylonitrile in the presence of trimethyl benzyl ammonium hydroxide.

5. A method for preparing tri-1,1,1-(B-cyanoethyl) acetone which comprises condensing acetone with acrylonitrile in the presence of potassium hydroxide.

HERMAN A. BRUSON. 

